Socialist Party (Ireland) Struggle, Democracy, Socialism

Cork Socialist Party & Socialist Youth help to organise protest against Youth Defence

As far as I can remember it was always within me to question my reality. I wouldn’t go ‘with it’ if I found ‘it’ to be wrong or unjust. When I was a teen I would channel that attitude towards anti-social behaviour and sometimes towards the law, something I may have picked up from my Dad who often organised protests against abusive Gardai in Ballyfermot. But in my teens it was more just for self-fulfilment.

The non payment by Mick Wallace's of €1.4 million VAT due on sales of apartments is disgraceful. When speaking on Morning Ireland after the story broke, his comments that the €2.1 million due to Revenue (including interest and penalties), would not be paid, itself indicated the gulf in his views on what is acceptable on these issues and those of ordinary working class people throughout the country and in his own Wexford constituency.

A propaganda campaign is being waged by the government to disguise the level of non-registration for the Household Tax.

So after four days campaigning in Greece, the elections are over and I'm headed to Brussels, where a vital vote on ACTA will take place at the International Trade Committee. I watched the election results with some members of Xekinima, the Socialist Party's sister organisation in Greece, before going to the Synaspismos (the biggest organisation in Syriza) offices where big crowds were gathered.

Because of a moratorium on any political activity the day before the election, yesterday was very quiet. Athens seemed to empty out somewhat as people went home to vote. However, the relative silence was punctured by sustained cheers and horn beeping when Greece beat Russia and progressed into the quarter finals of Euro 2012.

Day two of my visit began with a press conference of international guests to support Syriza. Political representatives from the Left Bloc in Portugal, Izquierda Unida in Spain, a left group in Argentina, the ambassador from Venezuela to Greece and a member of Occupy Wall Street addressed the press together with myself and members of Syriza. The emphasis of all of the speeches were on the centrality of the struggle in Greece for working people all across Europe and the impact that a Syriza victory could have.

Paul Murphy MEP is in Greece this week, campaigning with Syriza in the run-up to Sunday's election. He'll be writing daily reports of his experiences; the first of these is below.

As on a rickety rollercoaster, the euro train could shoot off the rails at any moment. Will it be triggered by the soaring loop of the Spanish banking crisis? Or the crazy corkscrew of the Greek crisis, which will undoubtedly be sharpened by the 17 June elections?

Mick Wallace’s failure to pay the original sum of €1.4 million in VAT is disgraceful, unacceptable and indefensible.